JOHN BEOWK 







m/. 




* ^^uv^J^^aX*-^ 



PHILADELPHIA : 

J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY. 

1888. 



JOHN BROWK 




"^^ ^^x.- 



O^Ujuk^ 




■t- '^--■. . 





PHILADELPHIA: 

J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY. 

1888. 



Copyright, 1888, by J. B. Lippincott Company. 






JOHN BROWN. 



Brown, John, of Ossawatoraie, abolitionist, was born 
in Torrington, Connecticut, May 9, 1800. Descended in 
the sixth generation from Peter Brown, a 3Iai/Jiower' 
pilgrim, he preserved the stern religious enthusiasm of 
his ancestors. In 1805 his father, Owen, removed to 
Hudson, Ohio, and in 1812 had a contract to supply 
Hull's army with beef. John, already a vigorous lad, 
accompanied his father to Detroit, and acquired a hatred 
of both war and slavery. He became a tanner and land- 
surveyor, and from 1825 to 1835 lived at Richmond, 
Pennsylvania, where he was made postmaster. Return- 
ing to Ohio, he engaged in land speculations, which 
proved disastrous, and then turned shepherd. In 1846 
he removed to Massachusetts, but in 1848 purchased a 
farm at North Elba, New York. He wandered much 
through the country in prosecution of anti-slavery enter- 
prises, in which he was assisted by his family. He was 
twice married and had twenty children. In 1854 five 
of his sons removed from Ohio to Kansas, and he joined 
them in the next year after the border conflict had begun. 
Brown became a leader in the strife, and two of his sons 
were arrested by United States cavalry. Soon after the 
town of Lawrence was sacked by border ruffians, he 
ordered five pro-slavery men at Pottawatomie to be slain 
as dangerous. Ossawatomie, Brown's home, was burned 



4 JOHN BROWN. 

August 30, 1856, aud his son killed. When the war in 
Kansas ceased, Brown began to drill men in Iowa, using 
rifles which had been sent to him from Massachusetts. 
His scheme then was to establish a stronghold in the 
mountains of Virginia as a refuge for runaway slaves. 
This plan was disapproved by the few to whom he men- 
tioned it, and he resumed anti-slavery work in Southern 
Kansas. In June 1859 he hired a farm near Harper's 
Ferry, and here gathered twenty-two men, of whom six 
were coloured. Boxes of rifles, pistols, and pikes were 
also received. On Sunday night, October 16, with 
eighteen men, he broke into the United States armoury 
in the town and took several citizens prisoners. On 
Monday some fighting took place, and Colonel Robert 
E. Lee, with a company of marines, arrived from Wash- 
ington. Lieutenant J. E. B. Stuart, who accompanied 
them, recognized Brown, whom he had met in Kansas. 
Brown, with six men, now driven into the engine-house, 
refused to surrender, and continued to fight until his two 
sons were killed and himself severely wounded. Brown 
was tried by a Virginia court for conspiracy to produce 
insurrection, for treason, and for nnirder. He was con- 
victed and hanged at Charlestown, Virginia, December 
2, 1859, having shown the utmost firmness throughout 
his imprisonment. Four of his men were executed with 
him, and two others later; six escai)ed. The raid was 
investigated by a committee of the United States senate. 
Its full effects were not seen until the civil war was over. 
Brown's life has been written by James Uedpath (I860) 
and by F. B. Sanborn (1885). 



I TBRARY OF CONGRESS 

iim 

011 899 122 9 # 



